Those who want to do more than catch criminals but understand them should seek out one of the best Master’s in criminology degrees.
These degrees teach students not only to work within the justice system but also to identify criminals and bring them to justice. If you want to get into the head of a criminal and find out what makes them tick, this might be perfect for you.
The degree programs focus on developing analytical skills surrounding the identification of criminal behavior patterns. Criminologists will also help develop public safety initiatives based on what they discover. It’s a technical, academic field based more on research than investigation.
Let’s check out these degrees in more detail to see if they’ll work for you.
What Is a Master’s in Criminology Degree?
A Master’s degree in criminology is a perfect choice if you want to proceed even further in the criminal justice system. These degrees dive heavily into criminal behavior and the social science aspects of criminal investigations. Serial killers and the like will all be focused on heavily.
Upon attaining the degree, students can become dedicated criminologists, focusing on developing new understandings of criminals. Or they can take other administrative and research roles within the criminal justice system. It’s a flexible and valuable degree in the industry as a whole.
How Much Can You Earn With a Master’s in Criminology Degree?
Those with Master’s degrees in criminology can obtain several positions within the field, earning an average of around $63,000 per year. Managerial positions, however, may yield a higher salary closer to $100,000 per year. These positions are expected to have a 5% growth rate in the next decade.
Additionally, more research-focused positions like criminal sociologists can expect an annual salary of around $82,000 per year. These individuals may take teaching positions at universities or police academies. These positions are projected to grow by about 9% over the next ten years.
What Is Required for a Master’s in Criminology Degree?
A Master’s degree in criminology will have many courses focusing on the social sciences and psychology, specifically as they pertain to catching criminals. Many programs will also incorporate forensic and law classes.
Virtually any specific criminology position will require significant work experience within the field. As such, even those with Master’s degrees in criminology may need to have additional work experience before they can be hired. Some online degrees incorporate these work experience requirements.
Alternatively, your current job in the criminal justice system may be enough. In this case, an online degree’s flexibility might be perfect for your needs.
What Are the Best Master’s in Criminology Degrees?
OSR uses six data points: three school-wide and three program-specific. For school-wide, OSR uses Student Satisfaction, Admission Rates, and the number of programs the school offers online. For program-specific, OSR checks the Median Debt of graduates from that program, how many degrees are offered within that program’s umbrella department, and what percentage of students at that school graduated from that department.
The six statistics are displayed by each school. The sliding bar under each statistic represents how that school compares to other US institutions. “Not reported” means a school did not release that information to the US Department of Education. A more detailed description of the OSR process can be found on the methodology page.
Now let’s check out the 10 best online Master’s in criminology degrees!
